IBRC 5-B-10

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES: Tricolored Heron
HOW MANY: 1 adult

REPORTER: Jim DeWitt 813 Lancaster Drive Fairbanks, AK 99712 907-457-1420
REPORTER EMAIL: jdewitt@iciclesoftware.com
OTHER OBSERVERS: None with me.

DATE REPORT PREPARED: January 13, 2010
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: December 4, 2009

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION: Approx. 200 feet upstream from from Veteran's Memorial Parkway Bridge, Greenbelt Trail, Boise, ID; on the right bank facing downstream.
HABITAT: River bank
CONDITIONS: Observed approx. 5 minutes, c. 12:30 PM. Clear, light breeze, temperature just above freezing. Approached within 100 feet of bird.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?: Yes, later the same day
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?: Yes, later the same day
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?: National Geographic, 4th Ed.

DESCRIPTION: Heron. Classic heron bill and structure. Bare parts of head yellow, lower bill yellow, eye red. Body mostly grey-blue, with yellow and red patterning on neck
BEHAVIOR: Bird was hunched up pretty tight while I watched. No hunting or movement.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU? Initially mid-identified as a Great Blue Heron. (A bicyclist had told me there was a Great Blue along the river; I saw what I expected, not what was there...) Portrait shot posted to Nature Photographers Network. ID corrected to Tricolored there, and confirmed with Nat. Geo.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY? Portrait photo leaves little doubt. Neck color is visible; bill clearly visible.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): 22 previous entries in Avisys, from Florida, Texas, Mexico, Trinidad and Costa Rica
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: Birding 15 years, ±. Mid-level skills.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo

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